Favored flavor capacity reserving mechanism



July 10, 1962 s. L. CHILDERS ET AL 3,043,475

- FAVORED FLAVOR CAPACITY RESERVING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 11, 1958 sSheets-Sheet 1 mum 3,043,475 'FAVORED FLAVOR CAPACITY 'RESERVINGMECHANISM July 1 1962 s L. CHILDERS ETAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.

m w v A x m fl/v y 10, 1962 s. CHILDERS ET AI. 3,043,475

FAVORED FLAVOR CAPACITY RESERVING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug.11, 1958 INVENTO flue/roar L. 66/70 05 Lawrence 6. Taber A TTORNEK3,043,475 FAvonEn FLAVOR cAPAcrrY REsERvrNo MECHANISM Spencer L.Childers and'Lawrence C. Tober, Fresno,

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines. Moreparticularly, the invention is concerned with improvements to machinesfor dispensing, according to the customers preference, any of aplurality of types or flavors of generally cylindrical articles, such asbottled beverages. In one conventional type of vending machine to whichthe improvements contemplated by this invention may be advantageouslyapplied, the articles are stored within the machine upon a plurality ofinclined shelves or the like, each provided with an associated, separatearticle releasing mechanism. In such machines, different shelves arecommonly employed for the storage of different types or flavors ofarticles with all articles on any given shelf being the same.Accordingly, the customer, by choosing a particular article releasingmechanism associated with a particular shelf, may choose the type orflavor of the article to be withdrawn by or dispensed to him. 'It is tobe understood that the terms dispense and dispensing, as herein used,are employed broadly to denote the function of making an articleavailable for delivery or removal from the apparatus from which articlesare to be vended or supplied; thus, said terms will be understood toinclude the performance of such function by releasing the articles fordelivery by manual Withdrawal or the like, which may not necessarily beattended by any forcible ejection of the article from the apparatus bythe latter.

Although it will be clear that the scope and applicability of theinvention is by no means so restricted, one specific, exemplary type ofvending apparatus with which the invention finds particular, presentutility is the inclined shelf type of bottle beverage vending machinenow being commercialized by The Vendo Company, 7400 East 12th Street,Kansas City, Missouri, the general na' ture of which is more fullydisclosed in US. Letters Patent No. 2,766,906 entitled Selective BottledBeverage Vending Machine and issued October 16, 1956. Ac-

cordingly, the application of the present invention to such type ofmachine has-been chosen as a suitable preferred embodiment which may bedescribed hereinafter for purposes'of illustrating the principles andadvantages of the instant invention. Those skilled in the art will haveno difficulty in applying the principles of the invention to certaindiifering forms of vending machines or vending machines employed for thedispensing of articles different than bottled beverages.

It is the common commercial custom and practice for i a large percent ofthe coin operated vending machines in public use to beinitially'purchased, financed or otherwise furnished to the operators ofplants, service stations,

public institutions or other establishments where the vending machinesare to be located for the convenience of United States Patent thepublic, by a beverage bottler or other supplier of at i least certain ofthe articles which the machine is adapted to vend. Such is the case bothbecause of the fact that the location proprietors normally do not desireto become engaged in the article vending business and because of therelatively substantial investment which may be required for the outrightpurchase of the number of vending machines desired to be provided at thelocation in question. Moreover, it is often the practice for suchbottlers or article suppliers to attend not only to initial installationof the vending machines but also to the sub- 3,043,475 Patented July 10,1962 ice dition. As a consideration to the bottler or other articlesupplier for such assistance in procurement and/ or maintenance ofvending machines, the machines will normally carry external legends oradvertising matter indi cating that the particular cooperating bottlersproduct is offered for sale in such machine. Such advertisement on themachine of the cooperating bottlers proprietary product obviously makesit desirable that a suflicient portion of the storage shelves or otherfacilities within the machine be devoted to such product to assure thatthat product will always be available to the public from such machinebetween regular intervals at which replacement articles are to besupplied to the location operator or machine by the cooperating bottleror other article supplier. In many instances, the consideration to theassisting bottler or other article supplier will include an at leasttacit understanding that a certain number out of the total storageshelves available in the machine Will be retained and used exclusivelyfor the particular product advertised on the machine and supplied by thecooperating bottler or supplier of other articles.

An example of a common type of commercial arrangement of the kindreferred to would involve a bottled beverage vending machine advertisingon the front thereof the availability for sale of a particular cola typedrink with the machine being provided with adequate storage where thelocation operator desires to fully perform his moral or other obligationto reserve a given number of shelves in the machine for the cooperatingbottler who has aided him in the procurement of the machine or assistedhim in the mechanical maintenance thereof, prac tical diificulties oftenarise by virtue of the fact that not only the cooperating bottler butalso his competitors are normally allowed access into the interior ofthe machine at regular intervals for replacing on the shelves of themachine those bottles which have previously been vended. Since thecompetitors of the cooperating bottler are normally not enjoined by anyenforceable obligation to not so do, it is the all too prevalentpractice of some route men of competing bottlers to replace theexternally advertised product of the cooperating bottler with their ownfirms competing product upon a number of the shelves which previouslywere devoted to the cooperating bottlers advertised product.

. Accordingly, it is one of the primary objects of this invention toprovide mechanical means to be incorporated within the vending machineitself for effectively in practree, reserving a given number of storageshelves or portion of the vending capacity of the machine for thehandling of a cooperating bottlers proprietary product. The inventionfurther contemplates the accomplishment of such objective by providingmechanical means for preventing the repeated vending or dispensing of abottle or other article from any one of a particular plurality ofshelves or releasing mechanisms until an article has also been vendedfrom each of the remaining of such plurality of shelves or releasingmechanisms. By this means, a competing bottler is discouraged fromplacing his product upon any of the controlled plurality of shelvesmentioned above, since such product could not be regularly vended to thepublic from those of such plurality of shelves occupied thereby withoutintervening vending of remaining of such controlled shelves.Accordingly, it

3 will be apparent that a product can be effectively merchandised fromany of the plurality of controlled shelves or releasing mechanisms onlyif the same product is provided for all of them.

A further primary object of the invention will now also be apparent asinvolving the provision of mechanical means within a vending machinehaving a plurality of storage shelves or the like and respectivelyassociated article releasing mechanisms by which the vending of articlesfrom various ones'of a plurality of such shelves can be controlled torequire that an article be dispensed from each of such plurality ofshelves before a second article can be dispensed from any of same. It isbelieved clear that such latter object of the invention has utility evenapart from the above-mentioned problem of providing adequate protectionfor a cooperating bottler, a suitable example being where it is desiredthat the articles from the various shelves be exhausted at the same rateWhile the public will tend to a natural preference for operating aparticular one or ones of the releasing mechanisms associated with thevarious shelves for psychological reasons or because of the greaterconvenience of location thereof.

It is a further important object of the invention to provide suchimproved means for reserving capacity in a vending machine or forrequiring cyclical choice of a plurality of otherwise avail-ablecustomer selections in a vending machine having a plurality of separatearticle releasing mechanisms, which is of such nature that same can beoperated directly by operable couplings with the vending gates or otherarticle releasing mechanisms conventionally employed in such machines.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such improvedmeans for employment in vending machines of the type utilizing inclinedshelves for article storage, which includes shiftable stop mechanismsassociated with each of the controlled, inclined shelves for preventingadvancement of stored articles to a vending position adjacent thereleasing mechanism for particular shelves until a vending sequencecycle has been completed by the vending of an article from each of theother of such shelves.

Another important object of the invention is to provide such improvedmeans for vending machines, which includes an assembly shiftablerelative to the frame of the machine, a latching device for each of thecontrolled shelves and article releasing mechanisms adapted toreleasably latch the shiftable assembly relative to the frame of themachine, and apparatus operable by the article releasing mechanism foreach shelf for substantially simultaneously vending an article from suchshelf, releasing the corresponding latch and shifting a stop into thepath of normal advancement of the next article from such shelf to avending position, whereby, after vending of an article from any of suchcontrolled shelves, no further article can be advanced therefrom to avendible position until each of the article releasing mechanismsassociated with each of the other of such controlled shelves has beenoperated to vend an article and release its corresponding latch so thatthe shiftable assembly may be returned to a recycling positionwithdrawing said stops and re latching all of the latches.

Still other important objects of the invention will be made clear orbecome apparent as the following description of an illustrative,currently preferred embodiment of the invention progresses.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of a vending machineincorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with theouter housing of such machine removed and parts broken away and shown incross section for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of such machineincorporating the subject invention, with certain 4 outer housing partsremoved and parts broken away and shown in cross section for clarity ofillustration;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on irregular line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, side elevational view of apart of the shiftableassembly, one of the latching means and other operably associatedmechanism, with parts broken away and shown in cross section; and 7 FIG.is anenlarged, fragmentary rear elevational view of one of the sidechannels forming a part of the frame of the machine, with parts brokenaway and shown in cross section.

Referring now to the drawings, a vending machine suitable forapplication of the present invention thereto is generally designated bythe numeral 10. Disregarding conventional housing structure, which hasbeen omitted from the drawings in order to illustratethe internalworking parts of interest in connection with the description of thepresent invention, the machine 10 may include a frame broadly designatedby the numeral 12 having a rear assembly 14 and a front assembly 16connected by means such as cross rods 17. The rear assembly 14 of frame12 may consist of an upright channel member 18 having a bight 20, a pairof side walls 22 and 24 and a pair of outwardly extending flanges 26 and28- (see FIG. 3). The front assembly 16 may include an upright frontpanel 3t provided with vertically spaced, article withdrawal openings 32therein, a rearwardly'extending channel 34 welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the panel and having a bight portion 36, spaced, frontoverhanging portions 38 and a rear overhanging portion 4! Broadly, themachine 10 includes a plurality of what may be called dispensing meanseach for performing the function of making articles available fordelivery to a customer by providing for the release of articles from asupply thereof to a dispostion and condition of available ity forremoval by the customer and what may be called control means forperforming the function of controlling the release of articles from thevarious dispensing means only in the manner contemplated by theinvention and referred to hereinabove. An illustrative, preferredembodiment of the dispensing means of machine 10 will first bedescribed.

Dispensing Means Adjacent each of the openings 32 and rearwardly thereofthe frame carries an article supporting structure generally designated42 having a bottom wall 44 with an upstanding article stop flange 46along one lateral edge thereof. The structures 42 present means forreceiving and supporting an article in position to be vended byWithdrawal through a corresponding opening 32 and may be supportedWithin the frame 12 in any suitable fashion, although the machine 10illustrated shows such article supporting structures 42 as supported atone side by a rod 48 passed under a portion 50 and over a downwardlyoffset portion 52 thereof and at the other side by a lug 54 (see FIGS. 3and 5), extending rearwardly from the bottom wall 44 through a hole 56in the flange 28 of rear assembly 14 and supported upon a lower surface'58 of such-hole 56 (which may be stepped, as illustrated, to providefor adjustment of the support structures 42 to accommodate various sizesof articles). In the illustrated embodiment, support structures 42 alsohave a front section 60 of the bottom wall 44 inclined upwardly andraised to better conform to the configuration of beverage containingbottles, such as the illustrative machine 10 is intended to vend. V

Swingably mounted adjacent each of the article withdrawal openings 32and spaced rearwardly therefrom is an article releasinggate mechanismgenerally designated 62 having a depending otfset'portion 64 providedwith a rotatable article engaging roller 66, the ends of releasingmechanism 62 being pivotally received respectively 1n a bearing hole 68in bight portion 36 of channel 34 and by a rearwardly extending bearingbracket 70 secured to the panel 30 and provided for such purpose. Aswill be particularly clear from FIG. 2, the article 100, such as aconventional beverage containing bottle, will be restrainedagainstWithdrawal through the corresponding opening 32 by the overhanging gatemechanism 62 and the underlying raised portion 60 of the correspondingstructure 42, unless and until the gate mechanism 62 is swung forwardlyupon its pivotal axis.

Although not, strictly speaking, forming a part of any of the pluralityof dispensing means provided in machine as hereinbefore and hereinafterdescribed, in commercial vending machines it is conventional to providesome sort of coin or check controlled means for releasing the otherstructure to vend only after proper deposit of coinage. Since such coincontrolled means may conveniently be associated with parts of thedispensing means of machine 10 for locking the same until coinage hasbeen deposited, it will be appropriate to refer briefly to the manner inwhich such coin controlled means may be associated with the dispensingmeans portion of machine Iii. It is to be understood, however, that suchcoin controlled means does not form an essential part of the structurecontemplated by this invention and that the latter may be employed toadvantage under certain circumsances in dispensing apparatus wherein thearticles are to be made available without the prior deposit of coinage.In view of the operable association that may occur in the most commontypes of dispensing apparatus, however, brief reference will now be madeto one way of associating coin controlled means with the dispensingmeans of this invention, and particularly the gate mechanisms 62 of thelatter.

Coin controlled means, only a part of which is illustrated in detail,for preventing swinging movement of any of the gate mechanisms 62 untilproper coinage hasbeen deposited in the machine 10, is generallydesignated by the numeral 7 2 and includes, besides the articlereleasing gate mechanism 62, a rotatable dog 74 for each of themechanisms 62 and secured to a shaft end portion 76 of the latterextending through the bight portion 36 of channel 34, for cooperatingwith a plurality of vertically shiftable captive links 78 and element80, all of which cooperate in conventional manner to prevent theswinging of any of the gate mechanisms 62 for the vending of an article100 unless proper coinage has been deposited in the machine 10 and whichfurther function to prevent the simultaneous swinging after proper coindeposit of more than one of the gate mechanisms 62, so that only asingle articlelOt) may be vended upon each coinage deposit. The furtherdetails of such coin control means 72 need not be here furtherelaborated, since the pertinence of same to the operation of the instantinvention may be defined merely by the facts that the gate mechanisms 62are provided, an article 100 may be vended only when the correspondinggate mechanism 62 is swung forwardly, and each operation of vending anarticle 100 is necessarily attended by the swinging movement of thecorresponding gate mechanism 62, all of which will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art, although it may be noted that coin control means 72may be constructed in the manner disclosed in US. Letters Patent No.2,766,906, referred to hereinbefore.

In order to provide for the storage of articles 100 to be vended from agiven opening 32 after a preceding article 100 has just been dispensedfrom the corresponding structure 42, each structure 42 is provided Witha are adapted to roll toward and, unless restrained, onto thecorresponding support structure 42 by the action of gravity as precedingarticles are withdrawn from the structure 42. For the purpose ofillustrating the present invention, it is assumed that the fiveuppermost vending stations (each including broadly a support structrue42, a gate mechanism 62 and a shelf 82) constitute a special pluralityout of a greater number of vending stations included in the machine 10,the remaining vending stations being illustrated in FIG. 1 by the sixthof same from the top. It is significant to note in FIG. 1 that each ofthe special plurality of vending stations just mentioned, are providedwith identical articles 100, while the remaining vending stations areprovided with differing articles 101, which may differ from the articles100 in any manner significant to customer selection such as flavor,supplier or the like. I

Means generally designated by the numeral 88 for preventing advancementof an article 101 onto the corfunction, by virtue of the cooperativeengagement of the rotatable dog 74, with the captive links 78, topreventrepeated swinging of a gate mechanism 62 with resultant dispensing of amultiplicity of articles 101 responsive to a single coin deposit. Eachmeans 88 includes a crank arm 98 rigidly secured tothe stub portion 76of the corresponding gate mechanism 62, an elongated horizontal element92 pivotally connected as at 94 with the crank arm 90 and pivotallyconnected adjacent its opposite end as at 96 with a swingable linkageplate 98 pivotally mounted upon the side wall 24 of rear assembly 14 bymeans of a pin 102 and a keeper 104. The crank arm 90, the element 92and the plate 98 essentially define a parallel motion arrangement bywhich the element 92 will be swung downwardly into the path of travel ofarticles 101 awaiting to advance from the corresponding shelf 82 to thecorresponding support structure 42 Whenever the corresponding gatemechanism 62 is swung to its actuated, forward position permittingwithdrawal of an article 101. After withdrawal of an article 101 fromthe support structure 42 and release of the gate mechanism 62 for returnto its normal position under the influence of springs 1G6 and 108provided for such purpose, the element 92 will be raised to its stand-byposition and the next article 101 on the corresponding shelf 82permitted to roll by gravity onto the corresponding support structure 42from which it may then be vended.

In accordance with the improvement contemplated by this invention, acrank arm 110 is pivotally mounted upon each of the stub shaped portions76 of the gate mechanisms 62 for the special plurality of vendingstations to becontrolled in accordance with the invention, and such stubshaft portions 76 are provided with lateral ears 112 for engaging asurface 114 on the corresponding arm 110 to rotate the latter in acounter clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1 when the correspondinggate mechanism 62 is moved to its actuated, article releasing position.The rotatable mounting of the .arm 110 on the shaft portion 76 and theutilization of the car 112, however, provide a lost motion type ofcoupling between the gate mechanism 62 and the arm 110 of each of theplurality of vending stations to be controlled by the in-, vention, sothat such gate mechanisms 62 may be 'returned to their normal, articleretaining positions without the corresponding arm 110 returning to itsnormal position.

Pivotally connected with each of the arms 11% as at 116 is an elongated,generally horizontal stop bar element 118 pivotally connected adjacentits opposite end, as by a. pin 120, with a plate portion 122 of a devicegenerally designated 124 and pivotally mounted upon a side Wall 24 ofrear assembly 14 as by a pivot pin at 126. Spring means are provided asat 128 and 1 31 for yieldably biasing each arm 11-0, element 118 anddevice 124 toward a normal position in which the element 118 is heldabove the path of travel of articles 1190 waiting to move by gravityfrom the corresponding shelf 32 onto the corresponding support structure42. It will be understood that during the period of vending a bottle 190from one of the controlled plurality of vending stations, the arm 110 isswung by the car 112 in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in FIG.1, and that the corresponding element 113 and device 124 similarly areshifted in parallel motion fashion substantially as previously describedfor the arm 99 element 92 and plate 98 to block the path of advancementof articles 11%; from the corresponding shelf 82 to the correspondingsupport structure 42 during the interim that the gate mechanism 62 isswung forwardly and in its article releasing position. As willhereinafter be explained, however, the arms 11f), elements 118 anddevices 13s do not return to their normal positions upon return of thecorresponding gate mechanisms 62 from their operated to their stand-bypositions.

.An illustrative, preferred embodiment of the control means of machinewill now be described.

Control Means Shiftably mounted within the rear assembly 14 is avertically reciprocable channel assembly generally designated 132 havinga bight 14d and side walls142 and 144. The shiftable mounting of theassembly 132 upon the rear assembly 14 of frame 12 is accomplished bybrackets 146 and 148 on the latter, carrying pins 159 and 152 which arereceived within elongated, longitudinal slots 154 and 156 respectivelyprovided in the channel assembly 132. A spring 158 oppositely connectedwith the pin 152 and the channel assembly 132 above the pin 152,yieldably biases the assembly 132 downwardly to the limit of the path ofreciprocation thereof defined by the extent of slidable movement of thepins 155) and 152 within the slots 1.54 and 156 respectively.

The bight 21} of rear assembly 14 is provided with an inturned, lancedprojection 16% for each of the vending stations to be controlled inaccordance with the invention. Similarly, there is pivotally mountedupon the channel assembly 132 for each of such vending stations by meansof .a pivot pin 162, a swingable latching member generally designated164. Each latching member 164 includes an car 166 adapted for engagementbelow a corresponding lit) projection 160 when the member 164 is in anormal "positionat which it is yieldably biased by a spring 168.

Each latching member 164'further includes an extension plate 170extending therefrom in the opposite direction from andin spacedsubstantial parallelism with the ear 166' thereof, each of suchextension plates 17s being provided withia lowermost fiat surface 172see FIG. 4). i

and parallel with the side plate 122 and interconnected with the latterby a bight 176. Pivotally mounted upon each ofsuch devices 124 betweenthe side plates-122 and 174 thereof by means of a' pivot pin 173, is aswingable dog generally designated 180 having an upwardly extendingportion 182 and a rearwardly extendingfportion 184. Eabh ofthe dogs13tlis yieldably biased toward a position as illustrated in FIG. 4 by aspring 186, swinging movement; of the dog 1.80 m such counterclockwisedirection as shown in FIG. 4 being limited by engagement of the rearportion 184 with the bight 176 of the device 124. r

The operation of the preferred embodiment of machine 19, indicating themanner in which the dispensing means and the control means thereofcooperate to achieve the desired results, will now be described.

Operation In operation, before swinging movement of any of the gatemechanisms 62 associated with the special plurality of dispensingstations to be controlled by the invention, the crank arms 110, blockingelements 118, devices 124, latching members 164 and assembly 132 are allin the positions illustrated in FIG. 1 in connection with the second,third, fourth and fifth dispensing stations from the top of such figure.Upon operation of one of the gate mechanisms 62 associated with one ofsuch plurality of controlled dispensing stations to vend a bottle iiltlfrom the corresponding support structure 42, the corresponding arm 11%,element 118, device 124 and latching member 164 will be shifted to thepositions illustrated in connection with the uppermost dispensingstation in FIG. 1 and'also as illustrated in FIG. 4. It will beunderstood that, before shifting of one of such gate mechanisms 62, thecorresponding dog 181) is restrained in its normal position against theforce of spring 186 by virtue of engagement of the rear face 188 ofportion 182 of dog 180 against the forward edge 190 of extension plate170 of the corresponding latch member 164. However, upon operation ofthe gate mechanism 62 by which it is swung forwardly to vend an articlefrom the corresponding support structure 42, the corresponding device124 is swung counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 1, about the pivot pin126 by virtue of the coupling provided by element 118 and arm 11%).During such swinging movement of the device 124, the portion 182 of dog180 is shifted to ride down under the extension plate 170,

whereupon the spring 186 shifts the dog 181) to the position relative tothe device 124 best illustrated in FIG. 4. Then, upon release of thegate mechanism 62, the swinging force applied to device 124 throughelement 113 and arm is released, whereupon, the uppermost end of portion132 of dog 18G engages the under surface 172 of the extension plate ofthe latch member 164 to swing the latter against the biasing action ofspring 168 to the position illustrated in FIG. 4, which releases the ear166 of latch member 164 from the corresponding inwardprojection 161} onthe frame 12. Such shifting of the latch member 164 is limited byengagement of the extension plate 171} with a corresponding bightportion 141) of the channel assembly 132, so that such extension plate171), by'virtue of its engagement with the portion 132 of dog 130,provides a stop or latching effect upon the device 124, preventing thelatter from returning'to its normal position under the influence ofspring .130, Accordingly, with the device 124 being held or latched indescribed, the corresponding element 118 is also held in an actuated,lowered position for blocking the path of advancement of furtherarticles 161' from the corresponding shelf 82 to the correspondingsupport structure 42. Thus, even though the gate mechanism 62 ispermitted to return to its stand-by position after a vending operationfrom a given support structure 42 of the plurality of controlleddispensing stations, the corresponding article advance blocking element118 will remain held in its actuated, articleadvance'preventingposition.

Only after each of the gate mechanisms 62 associated with all of thecontrolled dispensing stations have been actuated to vend an article 100from the corresponding support structure 42, will the last of the latchmembers direction tending to raise the latter.

9 return the devices 124 to their normal position will be exertedthrough the engagement of the portion 182 of the dog 180 with the unders'irface 172 of the extension plates 170 upon the channel assembly 132in an upward Since the biasing force exerted by the springs 130 isgreater than the opposed downwardly biasing force-exerted by the spring158, the channel assembly 132 will rise to a height where the portions182 of all of the dogs 180 have cleared the under surface 172 of theextension plate 170 of the corresponding latch members 164 due to thesimultaneous swinging motion of each of the devices 124 as they raisethe channel assembly 132,. Thereupon, the channel assembly 132 will bepulled back to its normal position at the lowermost end of itspath oftravel by the spring 158 and the various springs 168 will shift thecorresponding latch members 164 to reengage the ears 166 of the latterbelow the corresponding inward projections 1-60 on the frame 12. Thecontrolled dispensing stations of the machine 16 are then again restoredto the initial condition in which the gate mechanism 62 of any of suchcontrolled stations may be once actuated to vend an article 1% but maynot be reactuated to vend another article 16?) until the gate mechanisms62 for each of the other controlled dispensing stations has also beenonce actuated, it being clear that the blocking elements 118 are shiftedand retained in their blocking positions responsive to the firstoperation of the corresponding gate mechanism 62 during each controlledcycle and that, only upon release of the channel assembly 132 ashereinabove described, will such elements 118 be restored to theirnormal positions permitting the next article 100 to advance from theshelves 82 ofeach of the controlled dispensing stations to thecorresponding support structures 4-2.

It will now be clear that this invention is ideally adapted toaccomplish all of the above-mentioned and other objects thereof.Manifestly, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a number ofminor changes or modifications could be made from the precise structureof the preferred embodiment chosen for description for illustrativepurposes without departing from the true spirit or intention of theinvention. It will, therefore, be understood that the invention shouldbe deemed limited only by the scope of the claims that follow.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of dispensing means eachhaving a normal operative condition and an inoperative condition, any ofsaid dispensing means when in its operative condition being separatelyand selectively actuatable to dispense an article, said dispensing meanswhen in their operative condition being successively actuatable in anyorder; and control means operably coupled with each of said dispensingmeans and opera'ble in response to actuation of any of said dispensingmeans for establishing an inoperative condition of each actuateddispensing means and for maintaining each actuated dispensing means insaid inoperative condition thereof until all of the dispensing meanshave been actuated, whereby repeated operation of any of said dispensingmeans until the completion of a cycle during which each of saiddispensing means has been once actuated is prevented.

2. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of dispensing means eachhaving a normal operative condition and an inoperative condition, any ofsaid dispensing means when in its operative condition being separatelyand selectively actuatable to dispense an article, said dispensing meanswhen in their operative condition being successively actuatable in anyorder; and control means operably coupled with each of said dispensingmeans and operable in response to actuation of any of said dispensingmeans for establishing an inoperative condition of each actuateddispensing means and for maintaining each actuated dispensing means insaid inoperative condition thereof until all of the dispensing meanshave been actuated, said control means being further operable inresponse to actuation of the last to be actuated of said dispensingmeans to restore all of said dispensing means to their said operativecondition, whereby repeated actuation of any of said dispensing meansuntil the completion of a cycle during which each of said dispensingmeans has been operated is prevented and, upon completion of said cycle,a new cycle during which each of said dispensing means may be actuatedis commenced.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein each of said plurality ofdispensing means includes a shiftable article releasing mechanism whichis shifted whenever an article is dispensed from said dispensing means,and shiftable means operably coupled With said mechanism for beingshifted from a normal position to a different position thereofresponsive to shifting of said mechanism, each of said dispensing meansbeing rendered inoperative whenever its shiftable means is in saiddifferent position thereof; and said control means includes a shiftabledevice for each dispensing means respectively, each of said shiftablemeans being operably coupled with a corresponding device for shiftingthe latter when said shiftable means is shifted to said differentposition thereof, each device when shifted retaining the correspondingshiftable means in said different position of the latter.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said control means furtherincludes a shiftable,releasably latchable assembly common to all of saiddispensing means and including a shiftable latch thereon correspondingto each dispensing means respectively for maintaining said assemblyagainst shifting until all of said latches have been released, each ofsaid devices being operably coupled with .said assembly for releasing acorresponding latch when said device is shifted and for maintaining saiddevice shifted until said assembly is shifted.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of said devicesincludes a part engageable with a corresponding latch for releasablylocking the device in shifted condition until all of said latches arereleased and the assembly is shifted, and there is provided forceexerting means for shifting said assembly to release said devices uponrelease of all of said latches.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein there is provided furthermeans for returning said assembly to its original position andrelatching all of said latches upon release of all of said devices.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said parts are engageablewith said latches for coupling said force exerting means with saidassembly.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said further means isoperably coupled with said assembly for exerting upon the latter a forceopposite to, but of lesser magnitude than, said force exerting means,said assembly being restrained against shifting under the influence ofsaid force exerting means by the latches until the latter are allreleased and being restrained against return from its shifted to itsoriginal position by the engagement of said parts with said latchesuntil all of said devices are released.

9. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of dispensing means eachhaving article supplying means for supplying thereto articles to bedispensed, each of said article supplying means having a normaloperative condition in which said article supplying means will supply toits dispensing means an article to replace an article dispensed fromsaid dispensing means and an inoperative condition in which said articlesupplying means is prevented from supplying to its dispensing means anarticle to replace an article dispensed from its dispensing means, anyof said dispensing means initially being separately and selectivelyactuatable to dispense an article and the remaining dispensing meanseach being thereafter succespensing means and operable in response toactuation of any of said dispensing means for establishing aninoperative condition of each article supplying means of said actuateddispensing means and for maintaining each actuated dispensing means insaid inoperative condition thereof until all of the dispensing meanshave been actuated, whereby repeated dispensing of an article from anyof said dispensing means until completion of a cycle during which anarticle has been dispensed from each of said dispensing means isprevented.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein each of said articlesupplying means is arranged to feed articles to the correspondingdispensing means by movement of the articles along a particular path oftravel, and said control means includes a shiftable element for each ofsaid paths respectively shiftable into the latter for blocking the sameto passage of articles therealong when the correponding dispensing meansis actuated.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein each of said pluralityof dispensing means includes a shiftable mechanism, said mechanism ofeach dispensing means being shifted when the latter is operated todispense an article, and said control means includes a shiftable, releasably latchable assembly, and structure including said elements foroperably coupling said mechanisms with said assembly.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said assembly includes ashiftable latch for each of said plurality of dispensing meansrespectively, and said structure includes a shiftable device for eachlatch respectively and engageable with the latter for releasing thesame, each device being coupled with a corresponding mechanism throughthe corresponding element.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein each of said devicesincludes a part engageable with a portion of said assembly forreleasably locking the device in shifted condition until all of saidlatches arereleased and the assembly is shifted, and there is providedforce exerting means for shifting said assembly to release said devicesupon release of, allof said latches.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein is provided means forshifting said elements to their original positions to render all of saidarticle supplying means operative upon release of all of said devices.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein there is providedfurther means for returning said assembly to its original position andrelatching all of said latches upon release of all of said devices.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said parts areengageable with said portions for coupling said force exerting meanswith said assembly.

17. Apparatus as set forthin claim 16, wherein said further means isoperably coupled with said assembly for exerting upon the latter a forceopposite to, but of lesser magnitude than, said force exerting means,said assembly being restrained against shifting under the influence ofsaid force exerting means by the latches until the latter are allreleased and being restrained against return from its shifted to itsoriginal position :by the engagement of said parts with said portionsuntil all of saidv devices are released. l

I 18. In article dispensing apparatus, a plurality of article dispensingmeans each including support structure for supporting an article indisposition for being dispensed therefrom, and shiftable articlereleasing mechanism disposed for being shifted whenever an article isdispensed from the corresponding support structure; article supply meansfor' each of said dispensing means respectively for storing'a number ofarticles and disposed for successively feeding the latter to thecorresponding support structure along a predetermined path of travel; ashiftable element for each dispensing means respectively disposed to beshifted between a normal position clearing said path of travel to thecorresponding support 'struc-' ture and an actuated position blockingsaid path of travel; coupling means operably coupling each element withthe corresponding shiftable mechanism for movement of the element intosaid actuated position whenever said shiftable mechanism is shifted upondispensing of an article from the corresponding support structure; adevice for each element respectively for releasably holding the latterin said actuated position thereof; and releasing means forsimultaneously releasing all of said devices when all of said elementshave been shifted to be concurrently disposed in said actuated positionthereof.

19. In a vending machine, a frame; a plurality of vertically spacedinclined shelves on the frame for supporting articles to be vended;structure on the frame adjacent the lower extremity of each shelfrespectively for receiving from the latter the next article to be vendedtherefrom; a swingable gate mechanism on the frame for each structurerespectively 'for'releasably retaining an article on the latter, saidmechanism being swung when an article is dispensed from thecorresponding structure; a shiftable element on the frame for eachstructure re spectively shiftable between an actuated position blockingthe path for article travel from the corresponding shelf to thecorresponding structure and a normal position withdrawn from said pathof travel; means operably coupling each element with a correspondingmechanism for shifting of said element to its said actuated positionupon swinging of the corresponding mechanism; a releasable device foreach of said elements respectively for holding the latter in itsactuated position; and means for simultaneously releasing all of saiddevices automatically when all of said elements have been shifted to beconcurrently disposed in said actuated positions thereof.

20. A machine as set forth in claim 19, wherein said last-mentionedmeans .includes an assembly shiftably mounted on the frame; stop meanson the frame; a releasable latch member shiftably mounted on saidassembly for each element respectively and operably engageable with saidstop means for restraining the assembly against shifting; means on saidassembly engageable with said devices for retaining the latter inelement-holding condition until said assembly is shifted; means forshifting said assembly to release said devices upon releaseof all ofsaid latch members; and means including said elements and said devicesoperably coupling each of said gate mechanisms with a correspondinglatch member for release of the latter when said-mechanism is swung.

21. In a vending machine, a frame; a plurality of vertically spaced,inclined shelves on the frame for supporting articles to be dispensed;structure on the frame adjacent the lower extremity of each shelfrespectively for receiving from the latter the next article to bedispensed therefrom; a swingable gate mechanism on the frame for eachstructure respectively for releasably retaining an article on the latteruntil the article is manually withdrawn, each mechanism being swung whenan article is withdrawn from the corresponding structure; a shiftableelement on the frame for each structure respectively shiftable betweenan actuated position blocking the path for article travel from thecorresponding shelf to the corresponding structure and a normal positionwithdrawn from said path of travel; yieldable means urging said elementstoward their said normal positions; means operably coupling each elementwitha' corresponding mechanism for shifting of said element to its saidactuated position upon swinging of the corresponding mechanism; areciprocable assembly on said frame; stop means on said frame; alatching member for each element respectively swingably mounted on saidassembly and normally but releasably engaged with said stop means forrestraining said assembly, against reciprocation relative to said frame;a swingable device on the frame for each element respectively andoperably coupled with the latter for swinging movement of said devicefrom anormal to an operated conditionresponsive to shifting of thecorresponding element to its actuated position and for holding saidelement in its actuated position as long as the corresponding deviceremains in its operated condition; and dog means on 13 each device foroperably but releasably coupling each device with the correspondinglatching member, said dog means being operable, when said device isswung to its operated condition, tolrelease the corresponding latchingmember from said stop means and to hold said device in its operatedcondition until said assembly is reciprocated and further operable, Whenall of said devices have been swung to their operated conditions and allof said latching members have been released, to operably couple saiddevices with said assembly for reciprocating the latter to release saidcoupling of said devices with said latching members and said assembly assaid elements are returned to their is said normal positions under theinfluence of said yielda-ble means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,357,631 Fried Nov. 2, 192{) 2,203,834 Mergens June 11, 1940 2,281,466Terry Apr. 28, 1942 2,766,906 Bookout et al. Oct. 16, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS Great Britain Apr. 12, 1926

